Vending-machine.



G. A. DIES.

VBNDING MACHINE. arrmonfmgnrusn nn. 16, 190s.

. 910,513. Patented Jan.26,19o9.

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VENDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED 11.13.16, 190s.

Patented .12.11.26, 1909.

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ITEB STATES maar Ormes CHARLES A. DIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BENJAMIN S. MCCLELLAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VENDING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Drns, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county oi Cook and State oi Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vending-Wachines, oi which the following is a complete speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines and more particularly to a coin operated machine adapted to deliver packages or the like to the purchasers.

Heretoiore various kinds of vending machines have been devised for vending coniections and the like, and one of the principal diliculties which has been encountered in such devices is to absolutely lock the mechanism against operation when the machine is empty or out of order. In most constructions oi this character the coin passes into the machine and out of the control oi the purchaser before it can start the mechanism, and while most machines are intended to return the coin if the machine is empty or out of repair, it ofttimes happens that through the failure oi the coin return mechanism to operate, the coin is retained, and the purchaser must report his loss to the proper parties or sustain the loss.

Another dii'iiculty which has been encountered is to provide against the possible delivery of the articles to be vended before a coin oi the proper denomination has been deposited in the machine and has passed out of the control of the purchaser.

The object of this invention is to provide a vending machine in which the operating` mechanism is absolutely locked against operation when the machine is empty or when it is out orP order, and into which, when such conditions prevail, it is impossible to insert an operating coin, thereby leaving the intended purchaser in possession oi the coin and avoiding considerable annoyance.

It is also an object oi the invention to provide a device in which the coin must have passed into the machine and out oi the control of the purchaser bei'ore the article to be purchased will be delivered, so that it is impossible to start the mechanism to operate and receive the article by simply inserting the coin and then withdrawing it Jfrom the machine.

Another object oi the invention is to provide a device in which it is impossible to operate the delivery mechanism to its delivery Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1908.

Patented Jan, 26, 1909.

Serial No. 421,393.

position by the insertion oi any instrument other than a coin of the intended denomination or a slug of like dimensions and weight.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device in which the discharge or delivery passage is closed as soon as the o erating mechanism is set in motion and w ich remains closed until the coin haspassed to the coin box, so that if the mechanism is set in motion by the insertion of a coin or other article which does not pass into the machine and out of the control oi the purchaser, the article will not be delivered until the machine is again operated in the proper manner.

The invention consists oi' the matters hereinafter described in the specification and more fully pointed out and deiined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device with the cover removed, and showing the mechanism in normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the position the mechanism assumes as the coin leaves the coin chute. F ig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the package tube in dotted lines. Fig. e is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the package tube in dotted lines with the locking lever therefor in locking position` Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. l. Fig. Gis a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 or" Fig. l. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical section of the package tube. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, plan view of the receptacle showing the cover in locked position. Fig. l0 is a similar view showing the cover unlocked, and the lock plate removed.

As shown in said drawings: A indicates a receptacle of any desired construction and material, which opens at its front and is provided with a cover A adapted to nt closely over a iiange a about the opening. Said cover may be locked in place in any preferred manner but, as shown more clearly in i Figs. 5, 9 and l0, the cover is provided in its lower end with a lug or pin a adapted to engage in an aperture in the i'iange a, and at its top is provided with a slot a? opening into an aperture o3. A lock plate a* is riveted on the top of the receptacle by means of rivets a5, and at the forward edge of said plate is the locking bolt a6, which extends downwardly through the plate and flange and is provided with a head both above the plate IIO and below the flange to prevent its removal. Said bolt a as shown, is flat between the plate a4 and the flange a, and when turned to the position shown in Fig. 10, will pass through the slot a2 in the cover into the aperture a3 and when partially rotated in said aperture to bring it transversely of the slot the cover will be locked to the receptacle. The head a7 of said bolt is provided with a suitably shaped aperture for the reception of a key, and if preferred the heads of the rivets a5 may likewise be apertured for the purpose of confusing the identity of the lock.

A package tube B of any preferred form and construction is pivoted in said receptacle by means adapting it to be oscillated. As shown however said tube is curved and is pivoted centrally between the arms t of a fork b which is rigidly engaged to the wall of the receptacle. The side walls b2 of said tube terminate a short distance from the bottom b3 to provide an opening in each side of the tube, through one of which the package is discharged. For the purpose of holding said tube in normal position when not in operation or returning it to normal position after being operated, as shown in Fig. l, a coiled spring b4 is attached at one end to the tube above its pivotal point and at the other end is attached to a bracket B, supported on the rear wall of the receptacle, or to any other convenient place of anchorage.

Rigidly engaged on the back of the receptacle is the coin chute C, which is curved or offset centrally to provide a tortuous course or channel and leads from the coin slot c in the to of the receptacle downwardly and lateral y to a point above the coin boX C', which is supported on the bottom of the receptacle and on a shelf c extending from a partition c2 at one side of the box. Said chute as shown is provided in its edges with apertures c3 through which a wire or like article would pass if it were attempted t0 operate the mechanism by the insertion of such means.

For the purpose of operating the package tube an operating lever D is pivoted on a pin d projecting inwardly from the back of the receptacle and is forked at its lower end and engages a pin d projecting from the back of the tube a short distance below its pivotal oint. The upper end da of said operating ever is bent rearwardly and projects over a portion of the upper end of the coin chute, beneath the coin slot which it partially closes when in normal position, as shown more clearly in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 9, so that a coin assing through said slot must force said end g2 off from the coin chute and thereby force the lower end of the lever oppositely and move the tube to the discharge position shown in Fig. 2.

Hinged on the bracket B is the plunger or ejector E, comprising an upper section e to which is hinged a lower section e having an enlarged or downturned portion e2 which normally rests on a shelf e3 on the. side of the tube B adjacent the opening in the side of the tube. Said downturned end e2 is of a height equal to the thickness of one of the packages e4 in the tube, and when the tube is forced to discharge position the ejector forces the lowermost package from the tube through the discharge aperture in the side of the tube opposite from said ejector. Owing to the fact that the ejector is jointed the end c2 will always travel on the bottom of the tube and insure the ejection of a package. To prevent the ejector from dropping off the shelf e3 a flange e5 is provided on its under side and near its upper end, which engages the side wall of the receptacle A and holds the ejector in position.

The cover A is provided near its lcwer end, and at a point beneath the lower end of the package tube, when the latter is in its normal position, with a delivery orilice as, and for the purpose of preventing a package from dropping down to said orifice before the coin has passed to the coin box, a lgate F is provided to control said orifice. Said gate may be of any preferred construction but, as shown, it comprises a horizontal bottom plate f adapted to seat on the bottom of the receptacle when the gate is down, and a back plate f which extends u iwardly adjacent the rear wall of the receptac e. A guide f2 is engaged on the side wall of the rece tacle and overlaps the adjacent edge of the ack plate f', and a guide f3 projects from the rear wall of the receptacle at the opposite end of said plate. A stop f4 projects from the rear wall of the receptacle above said gate and acts to limit its upward movement when the bottom plate has passed above the orifice 61,8.

For the purpose of elevating said gate to receive the package from the package tube when the latter is thrown te discharge position, a bell crank lever F is pivoted en a shaft f5 projecting from the rear wall of the receptacle, and one arm f6 thereof is pivotally engaged to the back plate f. The other arm, f7, of said lever projects upwardly into position to be engaged by a cam f8 on the lower end of the package tube. As the tube is swung to discharge position said cam engages the arm f7 and forces it laterally of the tube, thereby lifting the gate above the delivery oriiice as into position to receive the package as it is ejected from the tube, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2.

Means are provided to lock the tube from backward movement as soon as the package has been ejected therefrom onto the gate, so that should anyone throw the tube to discharge position without depositing the proper coin in the machine, the gate will remain elevated above the delivery orifice and it will be impossible to obtain the package therefrom until the proper coin is de osited in the machine. For this purpose a ocking lever G is pivoted on a pivot g on the back Vwall of the receptacle, and one arm thereof,

g, normally extends beneath the lower end of the coin chute in the path of the coin, as shown more clearly in Figs. l, 2 and 3. The other arm, g2, of said lever extends upwardly and laterally behind the package tube, and a coiled spring g3 is connected therewith and to a suitable lug g4 on the side wall of the receptacle and acts to normally hold the arm g at the upper limit of its movement beneath the coin chute. On the rear side of said tube is a lug g5, and a lug g is provided on the arm g2 in position to be engaged by the lug g5, and as said tube nears its discharge position the lug g5 engages the lug 96 and, forcing it downwardly, moves in behind it and docks the tube against return movement until the arm g is depressed sufficiently by the passage of the coin through the chute to move the lug g6 out of the path of the lug g5. A safety lug g7 is provided on the arm g2 adjacent the lug g and over which the lug g5 must pass before the tube reaches its discharge position, but after the gate F has been raised, so that in case an article should be placed in the coin slot and the tube operated violently enough to throw a package onto the gate before the lugs g5 and g6 interlock, the tube will be prevented by the lug g7 from returning. Vfhen, however, the tube is operated to discharge position and is locked by the lugs g5 and g, the passage of the coin through the chute holds the lever down a sufficient interval to permit the lug g5 to pass both the lugs g and g7.

A guard H, comprisin T a strip of metal, is engaged to the rear wall of the receptacle and extends from the coin chute laterally of the receptacle above the lever G to protect said lever from being'operated by the insertion of a wire or like article into the coin slot and through one of the apertures in the chute.

A weight l which, as shown, comprises a sheet or block of metal, is adapted to be placed in the package tube on the packages and prevents the lowermost package from tilting downwardly when it is partly ejected, so that if the tube should be returned to normal position after the package has been partly ejected, the package will abut against the side ofthe receptacle and be forced back into the tube. Said weight may, if preferred be of a thickness to prevent it passing out of the discharge opening in the tube, butas shown it is provided with upturned ends 'i which are higher than the width of the openings in the tube through which the ejector enters and from which the package passes, so that when the last package has been ejected the weight falls in front of the ejector, and locks the tube from movement, as shown more clearly in Fig. 8.

If preferred a closure of any desired construction may be provided for the top of the tube, but as shown, it comprises a plate J of any desired material, having a downwardly turned flange which is severed from the plate at its ends to engage on the outer side of the front wall of the tube, which is slotted centrally, and tongues y" are cut from said `flange and engage within said wall.

To reduce the jar on the mechanism when the tube returns to normal position a piece of rubber K or other resilient material is carried on the side wall of the receptacle in position to be engaged by the tube as it returns to such position.

The operation is as follows: The package tube is filled with packages and the weight is placed on the top of the stack. The cover A is then locked in place and when a coin of the proper size is inserted through the coin slot into the machine it engages the end d2 of the lever D and forces it laterally. The lower end of said lever swings the tube B on its pivot to its discharge position shown in Fig. 2, where it is locked from return movement by the engagement of the lug g5 with the lug g on the locking lever G, until the coin passes through the coin chute and trips the lever. As said tube is being swung to discharge position the cam j 8 engages the lever arm f7 and raises the gate F above the delivery orifice a8 in the cover. Said gate reaches its upper limit of movement in time to receive the package as it is ejected from the tube by the ejector E, and as the tube returns to normal position the gate is lowered in front of the orifice and the package may be removed.

Should anyone attempt to obtain a package by throwing the tube to discharge position by the insertion of a com or other object in the coin slot and then withdrawmg such coin or object, the tube will be locked from return movement as before described, and the gate with its package thereon will be prevented from returning to delivery position. Furthermore, in case the tube should be operated with such violence as to throwout a package before the lug g5 passes behind the ug gs, the safety lug ,917, which is so placed that the lug g5 must ass it before a package is ejected from the tube, will engage the lug g5 and prevent the tube from returning.

r'he Yweight I acts to hold the free end of a partly ejected package from tilting downwardly, so that in the event the tube does not reach its locking Josition before the package is ejected, the atter "ill be forced into the tube by its contact with thc side wall of the receptacle when the tube returns to its normal position.

When the tube is empty the weight rests on the bottom thereof and inasmuch as it cannot pass out of the discharge opening of the tube, the ejector will abut against it and the tube cannot be moved. In consequence the end d2 of the operating lever D partially closes the coin slot and a coin cannot be inserted in the machine.

Obviously the package tube may be straight if preferred, and the gate may be operated in any desired manner, and obviously many details of form and construction may be varied without departing from the principles of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a receptacle of means pivoted therein adapted to contain articles to be vended, an operating lever for said means, means adapted to lock said'containing means in discharge position, and movable means adapted to deliver an article from said containing means.

2. The combination with a receptacle of an article holder pivoted therein, an operating lever adapted to swing said holder on its pivot, and vertically movable means adapted to carry an article from the holder to a point of delivery.

3. The combination with a receptacle having a delivery orifice therein, of means controlling said orilice, and a package tube pivoted in said receptacle and adapted when moved in one direction to operate said means and close oriiice.

4. The combination with areceptacle having a delivery orifice therein, of a tube pivoted in said receptacle and adapted to contain articles to be vended, means for operating said tub e, a gate controlling said orilice, and means for raising and lowering said gate when the tube is operated.

5. The combination with a receptacle of a tube pivoted therein and adapted to contain packages, means adapted to swing said tube laterally, a gate, and means adapted to elevate the. gate to receive a package from the tube when the latter is operated.

6. rlhe combination with a receptacle having a delivery orifice therein, of a package tube pivoted in said receptacle, means adapted to operate said tube, a movable gate controlling said orifice and adapted to receive an article from said tube, and means adapted to prevent the gate from delivering the article to said orifice.

7. In a device of the class describedy the combination with a receptacle having a delivery orifice therein, of a package tube in said receptacle, a vertically movable gate adapted to control said opening and means ada ted to eject a package from said tube onto said gate.

8. In a device of the class described the combination with a receptacle of a package tube pivoted therein and having opposite y disposed openings at its lower end, a shelf on the tube adjacent one of said openings, and a centrally jointed ejector hinged at one end on the receptacle and normally resting at its other end on said shelf and adapted to enter one of said openings and force a package from the other.

9. In a device of the class described the combination with a receptacle having a delivery orifice therein of a gate adjacent said oriiice, an article holder pivoted in said receptacle above said oriiice, means ada ted to move the gate to closed position w en the holder is operated, means adapted to eject an article from said holder onto said gate and means adapted to prevent the delivery of the article to said oriiice.

10. In a device of the class described the combination with a receptacle of a package tube pivoted therein, means adapted to swing said tube laterally, a gate, a lever connected therewith and adapted to elevate the gate when the tube is swung in one direction, and means adapted to eject a package from said tube onto said gate.

11. In a device of the class described the combination with a receptacle having a delivery oriiice therein, or' an article holder pivoted in said receptacle, a gate adjacent said orifice, a lever adapted to throw said holder to discharge position, means adapted to close the gate when the holder is operated, means adapted to eject an article from said holder onto said gate when the latter is in closed position, a lever ivoted in the receptacle, and means on t e holder adapted to engage said lever and control the return movement of the gate.

12. In a device of the class described the combination with a receptacle having a delivery oriiice therein, of an article holder pivoted in said receptacle, a lever pivoted in said receptacle and adapted to throw the holder to discharge position, means adapted to eject an article from said holder, a gate, means adapted to raise the gate to receive said article, means adapted to lock the holder in discharge position, and a lever connected therewith and adapted to release the holder and deliver the article on said gate to said orifice.

13. In a device of the class described the combination with a receptacle having a delivery ori'fce therein, of an ejector hinged in said receptacle, an oscillating package tube pivoted in said receptacle and adapted to move to and from said ejector, and a movable gate controlling said orifice and adapted to deliver a package from said tube to said orifice.

14. In a device of the class described the combination with a receptacle having a delivery orice therein, of an oscillatory package tube pivoted in said receptacle, an ejector supported in said receptacle in the path of the tube and adapted to eject a package from the tube when the latter moves towards it, and means adapted to travel from said tube to said orifice and deliver a package to said oriiice.

15. In a device of the class described the engaged to the side of said tube, a gate concombination With a receptacle of a package trolling said discharge orifice, a lever pivoted 3,5 tube pivoted therein, means adapted to swing in the receptacle and engaged at one end to said tube to discharge position, means said gate, and means on the tube adapted to 5 adapted to discharge a package from said engage the opposite end of said lever and tube, means adapted to lock the tube in operate the gate. discharge position and means adapted t0 In testimony whereof I have hereunto 20 release said tube from such position. subscribed my name in the presence of tWo 16. In a device of the class described the Witnesses. l0 combination with a receptacle having a de- CHARLES A. DIES.

livery oriiice therein, of a fork in said re- Witnesses: ceptacle, a package tube pivoted in said BENJ. S. MCCLELLAN,

fork, a lever pivoted in the receptacle and W. W. WITHENBURY. 

